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The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) is asking Henty residents to take extra care around railway level crossings in the area with the re-opening of a section of the Henty to Rand branch railway line this month, the company said today.
The two kilometre section of track has been upgraded as part of a jointly funded project by ARTC and GrainCorp to re-open the line between the large GrainCorp silos at Henty West and the main interstate rail corridor.
The upgrade is expected to take around four thousands trucks a year off the region’s roads.
It means trains will now be crossing Wenskes Road in Henty for the first time since 2005.
The first grain trains are scheduled to cross in early August, ARTC’s Executive General Manager Interstate, Tim Ryan said.
“We would like to ask the Henty community to take extra caution over coming weeks around railway level crossings, as some residents may have become relaxed about crossing the tracks without looking, given no trains have operated on the Henty-Rand line in recent years.
“ARTC and GrainCorp are asking drivers to be careful at Wenskes Road level crossing in particular, and note the new traffic signs in place which now show a ‘Stop’ rather than ‘Give Way’,” Mr Ryan said.
“We’ve worked with Council around improving the level crossing condition and electronic roadside noticeboards are in place to remind local drivers and residents to take extra caution with the new traffic conditions.”
Trains of up to eight hundred metres in length will operate on the line and will turn around using a loop at the grain silos.
The works saw approximately 2500 stronger and more reliable steel sleepers replace old timber sleepers as well as bridge and drainage improvements take place.
“We’re proud to have worked with GrainCorp to deliver this project and to see GrainCorp continuing to take advantage of the positive benefits of rail,” Mr Ryan said.